Our purpose
Business creates opportunities for people to work together, understand different perspectives and build shared interests. UECN connects businesses across China and the UAE to encourage cooperation, strengthen mutual understanding and contribute to peace.
Discover Our MissionDubai Customs announced that cashless payment transactions reached 99.3% in the first half of 2026. The department handled 23 million customs transactions with a 99.6% digital channel adoption rate.
The UAE Capital Market Authority has enhanced its digital access mechanisms, offering a restructured regulatory framework in Arabic and English. The platform categorises regulations into distinct chapters, tracking active rules, approved amendments, repealed clauses, and historical versions. It aims to support international market stakeholders, licensed commercial entities, and investors using cloud-based, AI-ready infrastructure.
The Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development has announced an initiative to shorten the timeframe between investment decisions and business commencement. The program builds on previous digital reforms through TAMM that cut setup requirements by 71 percent.
UAE Presidential Special Envoy Khaldoon Al Mubarak met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing to review bilateral relations. The discussions focused on expanding cooperation across energy, investment, advanced technology, and trade under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership established in 2018.
The UAE Ministry of Investment has signed a memorandum of understanding with Beijing-based China Securities to collaborate on asset management, capital markets, and investor connectivity. The ministry will serve as a federal gateway providing regulatory guidance and network access as the brokerage builds its UAE presence. The agreement follows China Securities opening an office in the Dubai International Financial Centre.
Understand the policies, laws and regulations shaping business across China and the UAE.
Business registration · Investment · Taxation · Customs · Trade · Financial regulation · Employment · Visas · Free-zone policies
The United Arab Emirates ranks first in the 2026 Passport Index compiled by Arton Capital, offering simplified travel access to 182 destinations. Singapore and Malaysia share second place with access to 175 destinations, followed by Spain with 174. India ranks 72nd with a mobility score of 70, while the United States holds the 10th position.
The UAE has established a firm regulatory red line barring artificial intelligence agents from making government decisions that impact an individual's livelihood. Speaking at the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting of Global Future Leaders in Dubai, AI Minister Omar Sultan Al Olama stated that human life cannot be assigned a monetary value. The government plans for AI to deliver 50 percent of federal services within two years, while fully excluding high-risk sensitive processes from automation.
An analysis by ORF Middle East highlights that SMEs represent 94 to 95 percent of UAE businesses and generate over 60 percent of non-oil GDP. The paper argues that achieving UAE Net-Zero by 2050 requires simplified emissions reporting, lower compliance costs, and enhanced transition finance for smaller firms. Decarbonising SMEs is increasingly vital as major domestic corporations tackle Scope 3 supply-chain emissions.
Follow the trade, investment and partnerships bringing China and the UAE closer together.
GulfHost returns to the Dubai World Trade Centre from 3 to 5 November 2026 to connect international equipment manufacturers with Middle East foodservice and hospitality buyers. The region's hospitality market was valued at an estimated USD 310 billion in 2025 and is projected to exceed USD 487 billion by 2032. Exhibitors from major manufacturing hubs, including China, the UAE, Italy, France, and the United States, will present commercial kitchen, automation, and energy-saving technologies.
The Dubai Business Forum – China concluded in Shenzhen with 854 Chinese investors and business leaders alongside a 112-member delegation from Dubai Chambers. Non-oil trade between Dubai and China reached AED 363.5 billion in 2025, having grown 118.4% since 2016. Active Chinese member companies in the Dubai Chamber of Commerce reached 6,650 by late September 2026.
Dubai’s population and spending have exceeded pre-crisis levels as the emirate recovers from regional disruption, according to Dubai Economic Development Corporation CEO Hadi Badri. Speaking at the Dubai Business Forum – China in Shenzhen on October 14, 2026, Badri highlighted population growth, domestic activity, and international capital inflows as key growth drivers. He outlined the city's broader economic resilience and business opportunities under the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 to Chinese enterprises.
Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) plans to raise $2.1 billion to meet working capital requirements, according to a Bloomberg report cited by Zawya. The seven-year loan will be arranged by major institutions including Bank of China, ICBC, and China Construction Bank (Asia). The financing will be split into US dollar and UAE dirham tranches.
Explore the industries creating new opportunities for cooperation across both markets.
Logistics & Trade
Dubai warehouse tenants are opting to renew existing leases rather than commit to new spaces amid regional geopolitical uncertainty. Data from Cavendish Maxwell shows warehouse lease renewals surged 21.6% to a record high in the first half of 2026, while new lease contracts dropped 51.8% year-on-year. Despite the cautious sentiment, average rents in Dubai increased 12.4% over the same period.
Technology & Digital Economy
China has mobilized more than 1,000 mathematicians and specialized researchers to develop advanced artificial intelligence research and technologies. According to Voice of the Emirates, the initiative aims to narrow the technological gap with the United States and compete with companies such as OpenAI and Anthropic. The project focuses on algorithms, machine learning, and computational models to bolster domestic technological self-reliance.
Technology & Digital Economy
UAE telecommunications operators du and etisalat have launched new advanced connectivity services aimed at accelerating the transition towards 6G networks. du announced commercial Upper 6GHz connectivity on its 5G+ network, while etisalat rolled out smartphone technology designed to triple upload speeds. The announcements elevate 5G-Advanced capabilities but do not signify the official arrival of 6G cellular services.
Energy & Sustainability
China's five largest solar module manufacturers eliminated 40,589 jobs in 2025, shrinking their aggregate workforce by 21% as severe industry overcapacity continued. The contraction follows a 31% workforce reduction in 2024, leaving total staffing down by roughly half across two years. Operating losses have deepened amid price drops and domestic market reforms, while export volumes fell 10% in the first eight months of the year.
Stay informed about official travel advisories, entry restrictions and transport disruptions across the Middle East.
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Beirut / US-Lebanon air routes
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King Khalid International Airport (RUH), Riyadh
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King Khalid International Airport, Riyadh
Alerts are based on official sources and show when they were last verified. Always follow the guidance of the official authorities. The absence of an alert does not mean that a destination is safe.
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